title: Betaine removal during thermo- and mesophilic aerobic batch biodegradation of beet molasses vinasse: influence of temperature and pH on the progress and efficiency of the process.
abstract: The key issue in achieving a high extent of biodegradation of beet molasses vinasse is to establish the conditions for the assimilation of betaine, which is the main pollutant in this high-strength industrial effluent. In the present study, aerobic batch biodegradation was conducted over the temperature range of 27-63°C (step 9°C), at a pH of 6.5 and 8.0, using a mixed culture of bacteria of the genus Bacillus. Betaine was assimilated at 27-54°C and the pH of 8.0, as well as at 27-45°C and the pH of 6.5. The processes where betaine was assimilated produced a high BOD(5) removal, which exceeded 99.40% over the temperature range of 27-45°C at the pH of 8.0, as well as at 27°C and the pH of 6.5. Maximal COD removal (88.73%) was attained at 36°C and the pH of 6.5. The results indicate that the process can be applied on an industrial scale as the first step in the treatment of beet molasses vinasse.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioprocess Engineering, Wrocław University of Economics, Komandorska 118/120, 53-345 Wrocław, Poland. edmund.cibis@ue.wroc.pl
authors.forename: Edmund
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cibis
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ryznar-Luty
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krzywonos
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lutosławski
authors.forename: Tadeusz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miśkiewicz
mesh_terms: D001407:Bacillus / Q000378:metabolism*; D027461:Beta vulgaris / Q000737:chemistry*; D001622:Betaine / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D057919:Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008965:Molasses / Q000032:analysis*; D013696:Temperature; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001622:Betaine